So, I got isekai’d

...

The two of them, knowingly that they did something wrong without my approval, prostrated themselves before me in a strikingly similar to a dogeza position

They were both in silence as I was demanding an answer from the two of them

"...So? Mind explaining why Lura decided to be one of my companion?"

"Ahaha..."

Mashiro tried to make eye contact with me, but she couldn't hold it any longer for more than 2 seconds. Her eyes kept looking around as she try to explain what just happened

...

...

...

"What? Just for that?"

"I-Its not 'just for that' ! Its the only benefitting price for you to remove my curse!"

She's literally took this waaaaay too far...

Apparently, they we're talking about this earlier, about Lura wanting to be my companion if somehow I was able get rid of the curse inside her. She figured that this was the best way to repay her eternal gratitude towards me

"Look, I didn't do it because I expected something in return from you. I did it because I wanted to"

Aaaalthough the real intentions behind my actions earlier was because I was finding a way to get a spell to cure status ailments, my point still holds some water on it...

"I-I know my liege but-"

"Stop that, don't call me your liege-"

"-But I want to!"

"That's making me want to dig myself 6 feet under! I can tolerate the way Mashiro calls me, why not use that?!"

"Because Liege is much cooler"

Lura said, with her eyes beaming

"That's true, maybe I should start calling you that from now own, Rui sama?"

"Please don't, I'm not starting a medieval period here or something..."

It just makes me more embarrassed if Mashiro starts calling me that as well...

"I still think that I've made the right decision"

"But that was a one time decision Lura! Surely you know what you just did right?"

"I know what I did, My Liege. I did not regret it one bit"

"I just don't get it...why did you think that entering into an oath with me repays this 'debt' that you're talking about?"

"My Liege...it may be trivial to you, but..."

"...?"

"You saved my entire life. You were the only one who proved to them that the curse wasn't they thought it was. You were the only one who made it possible to get rid of it...."

"..."

"...If that wasn't much enough of a reason...then what is?"

"Lura...I get what you mean, but that doesn't mean that your life is mine now"

"..."

I turned over to Mashiro, who was watching behind the side lines

"How do I undo the oath?"

"?!"

The two of them stood in shock, seemingly got frozen from my simple statement. It was then that Mashiro fell down to her knees

"A...Are you going to abandon us?"

"? Why would I? I'm just gonna undo the oath that Lura had made. She clearly just did it in a heat of a moment"

Mashiro's shivering suddenly calmed down, but was concerned for her friend

"P-Please! Rui sama, I believe that Lura didn't enter an oath just because she felt like she had to repay you! Right, Lura?"

"Y-Yeah! My Liege! I swear, I just want to use my whole life to serve you!"

"And that's the part that I don't like"

"Huh...?"

I took a deep sigh, looking at them with a serious face

"Lura, I never had the intention to make anyone my companion or under an oath in the first place. The reason why I let Mashiro had her way was because I was the one who felt the need to take care and protect her"

"Rui sama..."

"But in your case, Lura, you were already ready for the outside world. You seemed to have the right survival skills and necessities to go independently. There's no need for me to look after you is there?"

"..."

"Mashiro's situation is different. I can't let Mashiro stray further away from me, hence why I wanted to watch over her"

"Rui...sama..."

Mashiro's hands can be seen clasped with each other, firmly gripping it close to her heart

"I suppose you understand it now. Mashiro, how do I undo the oath?"

Mashiro, who was seemingly daydreaming, suddenly got snapped back to reality. Unsure whether or not to tell the process

"Then I want to do it together with you!"

"?!"

I for once, got taken aback by Lura's words, stopping myself from my tracks

"Just as how you look over at others, I also want to look over you and Mashiro. Just as you protect and take care of others, I want to do the same to you and to Mashiro. I want to fulfill that role, not because I had to repay you, but because I wanted to!"

"Lura..."

"Lura!"

Lura then walked closer to me

"...When the time comes that you're tired from everything and you need to take a break, I want to be the one who'll fill in for you. Just as you made it possible to remove the curse within me, I want to be the one to make it possible for you to have a good life without any much trouble"

"..."

"So My Liege...if just this one time...would you accept of me to be one of your companions?"

"..."

"Rui sama, Lurachnids are also quite strategic and hard to be fool by others because of their nature! Lura will be really useful for you in a lot of situations!"

Mashiro! You're making it sound like I'm gonna use her as a tool!

Well...despite the sudden oath that Lura had made, I really just wanted an explanation as to why she did it so suddenly...

...Like what happened to Mashiro, I said to myself that I would rather not have companions...but because of Mashiro's past, and the longer I got to know her, I said to myself that this time, I would only take care of Mashiro, and she would be the only one companion I'll have...

But if Lura is this determined despite me clearly making her understand the situation she got herself into...

...I guess I'll just have to eat my words again

"...Rui sama...?"

"Aaaagh! Why did you get so formal with me all of a sudden?! This isn't the Lura I knew earlier!"

"? This is the way I show respect towards someone higher than me. This is how I would treat our tribe chief...but..."

"So I'm guessing you don't see me that way, Lura?"

"Oh Mashiro, I think we're on the same page right now!"

"How about a spar then?"

Lura just smirked at Mashiro's sudden invitation

"You're doing it again, without my approval...again"

"..."

Silence feels the room once again

"...But if you two are gonna do it, then do so in the training area"

"! Does that mean?!"

"Yes. That's what it means"

"! Thank you! Rui sama! I love you!"

"?!"

I almost got choked from what Mashiro had just said, but I kept my cool in front of them

Mashiro jumped happily, wagging her tail and ears while Lura got a bit dumbfounded with my statement

"My Liege...you haven't answered my question yet"

"? I did, didn't I?"

"Lura! Rui sama said yes! You're a part of us!"

"!"

While Mashiro snugged up to Lura, Lura felt a sudden sigh of relief, as if she got a lot of weight taken off from her shoulders

"Thank you...My Liege..."

"Also..."

"...?"

"...Leader is fine. You can call me by that title"

Its a bit more neutral than Liege, and I can tolerate it better

"Leader...Alright"

"I hope we can be the best of friends, Lura!"

"That goes without saying!"

They smiled at each other, which left me smiling as well

...

...*Growl*...

"..."

"..."

"..."

...

Lura and I looked at Mashiro

"I-I can't help it okay?!"

"I know, I know, we haven't ate after all"

"My bad, Mashiro, its because of me"

"What are you saying? You're more important! Of course we'd prioritize you!"

"Lura..."

"Alright, you can continue your sweet moment together once were done eating. I'll go ahead and prepare the dishes"

I said, as I left the room with the big leaf on my hands

...

...

...

"Sweet moment...huh? I wonder if I broke that now that I'm here"

"?!"

Mashiro's face turned red instantly

"Look at you, getting flustered all of a sudden"

"I-I'm not!"

"You really love him, don't you?"

"I do. I really do. I only have eyes for Rui sama"

"Whoa, you didn't even hesitate saying that"

"Ahaha..."

"What if I told you I have feelings for him too-"

"?"

"-I'm just kidding, Mashiro! You can stop with your dead eyes now"

Mashiro then pouted at Lura

"W-Well...If you do...I won't lose!"

"Don't worry...I don't...not yet..."

"...?"

Lura then took a few steps forward

"Well then, we better not wait Leader any longer!"

"You're right! Time to go and eat!"

And thus, Mashiro and Lura left the room, as they went to where their Leader is...

...